Rising New Leaders and the World's Destiny

It is my honor and privilege to deliver the welcoming remarks of the opening of the Second International Leadership Seminar to all the representatives from five nations on behalf of the Reverend Sun Myung Moon and the International One World Crusade.

Very recently, in the July 15, 1974 issue, Time magazine had an extensive article on “Leadership in America” in which it devoted thirty-five pages out of the total ninety-six to profiles of rising young leaders in America. This article mentions “reasons for lack of leadership in America” and also discussed the “criteria to be leaders today in American society” based on the various opinions of American social scientists in universities.

Time selected what it felt to be a sampling of two-hundred rising young leaders for future American society. The flow of the article indicates the hope for America rising from despair to reconstruction, from pessimism to optimism, and from negativity to positivity. Also, it is very interesting to note in this article that America, as one of the leading nations of the free world and one of the two superpowers, is confronting the issue of leadership at this time, with special concern for rising future leaders in America. This is a challenging and demanding issue for America, because it regards the future destiny of this gigantic nation, with so many unsolved problems resulting in confusion and chaos.

In the midst of this big social concern in America, I dare say it is more than a coincidence that nearly three hundred young intellectuals from colleges and universities in Europe and the Far East have come here to participate in this seminar, in order to develop international leadership potential beyond their individual and national boundaries. I think it is very timely to have this kind of seminar on the international level in order to influence the whole intellectual youth and world community on college campuses throughout the world. How can we say you can influence the youth and world community? Simply because you young intellectuals in campuses throughout the world are the future leaders in your countries and in the world community at large. I am sure that very soon you will become this kind of leadership material.

Speaking of the rising new leaders, your dynamic, powerful, and enthusiastic leadership is definitely needed, not only in your own nations but in the whole world, in order to make a better world for all mankind. We must aim beyond the individual, the family, and the nation, to the new concept, “One World Family Under God.” Even if one nation develops great material prosperity, if other nations are in turmoil and extensive poverty as have-not nations, the prosperous nation will be influenced in the long run, leading to an unhappy nation and an unhappy world. Eventually, the prosperous nation will be unable to

reach a state of total happiness under these unbalanced world circumstances. Until total happiness for all mankind is realized on earth, there will be no real happiness on this planet, or in heaven as well.

No longer can one nation exist by itself without proper relationships with other nations, based on equal human rights and equal economic prosperity. Human history has proved that whether we like it or not, mankind and human history is clearly heading toward this direction of international equality, mutual understanding, and perfect harmony between all nations and people, based on the new concept of “One World Family Under God.” Therefore, international and world leadership is absolutely necessary beyond the individual and national levels. To meet this urgent demand, the International Leadership Seminar has been designed to fulfill even the “partial needs” of the abovementioned areas of international leadership.

Even though many social scientists agree with some of the qualifications for an individual to be leadership material — such as the ability to reform the existing contemporary social and political systems, the ability to persuade the public in the democratic system, and the ability to inspire trust from the public - - those things alone are not enough to qualify one to be an international leader.

In other words, an international leader or potential leader for the future will have to work in the following three inter-related, yet distinct, areas:

(1) He has to provide answers to the fundamental questions of life and mankind.

(2) He has to have the ability to analyze existing systems of politics and economics and be able to re- evaluate them to find out the best workable approach to contemporary problems.

(3) He must provide a new ethical and moral value system based on the new concepts of a 21st century philosophy.

If I may go into a little more detail, the first item — providing answers to the fundamental questions of life and mankind — can be obtained through the Unification Principle. It clarifies all the unknown facts in the Bible, gives a logical explanation of the existence of a supreme being, and explores the depth of God’s dispensation for men throughout human history. Thus you can predict the direction of history and accomplish the divine ideal plan for man and the universe. When equipped properly, you people will be international leadership potential. In this seminar, you have access to this area.

On the second item, the ability to analyze existing systems of politics and economics. This deals most essentially with the “Problem of Communism in Modern Days.” To meet the second criterion for being world leaders, you have to understand deeply the overpowering force of Communism, its control of one third of the globe, and its absolute dictatorship which disregards individual human rights and the solemn value of the human soul. We have to know how to analyze and evaluate this theory so that new social and economic systems can be developed to bring the future Golden Age for all mankind. Not only will you have the chance to examine in depth the philosophy of Communism, especially its weaknesses, but you will also study a counterproposal which can even overcome the philosophy of Communism and its ideology. Through this counterproposal we can develop a better God-centered social and economic system than the ones existing today.

On the third area, a new ethical and moral value system based on the new concepts of a 21st century philosophy. Such a new philosophy must emerge for the new age to come. This system of thought is not based on any present political or philosophical thought, but is a brand new system, which synthesizes the past and present philosophies of both Oriental and Western Christian backgrounds. In our circle, we call this “Unification Thought.” It will meet this urgent demand to qualify you in the third area. It gives you the qualification not only to be potential leaders in Japan, Korea, England, Germany, and France, etc., but also in the international realm.

In this seminar, not only will you be equipped in all three areas, but you will also have a chance to engage in dynamic group living. Here different races, with different cultures and backgrounds, can live together in peace and harmony — “just like a perfect United Nations” — through the proper relationship and interaction among all brothers and sisters from all over the world under the name of “One World Family Under God.” On top of that, you will have a chance to become acquainted with young people of the Unification Church International who come from all over the world and who are trained in the above three areas to be potential future leaders in twelve nations.

Through your association with these potential young leaders, you can test and verify the validity of my statements on these three areas for future international leadership. I hope you have enough time and enough courage to test it during your forty days seminar in America.

I mentioned a while ago that during your forty days in America this seminar will fulfill your “partial needs” to be future leaders; but in order to meet your “total needs” you need more training in the following areas:

(1) Public relations — in order to promote your thoughts, ideas and beliefs to the general public.

(2) Financial independence — you must have the ability to be self-supporting financially under any circumstances so that finances do not hinder your goals or missions.

(3) Complete knowledge of the truth — Not only must you know the truth, but you must be able to apply it in the actual practice of your daily life on earth in the existing world.

In order to fulfill these areas, the Belvedere International Training Center has a program to produce potential leaders and world missionaries in the Unification Church International. During my executive directorship for the past two years, I have vividly noted the tremendous changes which take place in all potential young leaders during the one hundred days of training. All the graduates then go back to their own countries and automatically become potential great leaders in their countries.

Therefore, with all my experience, I sincerely invite you to join our Belvedere International Leadership Training Program. The door is always open for all of you at any time.

I again extend a warm welcome and hope you have a happy and joyful time during your forty days stay in America.